Deck lid lifting mechanism



Sept. 27, 1955 D. BRUNDAGE 2,719,036

DECK LID LIFTING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 4, 1953 v 3 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 7, 1955 A. D. BRUNDAGE 2,719,036

DECK LID LIFTING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 4, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Se t. 27, 1955 A, 0. BRUNDAGE DECK LID LIFTING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 4, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 as 42 40 J7 \J5 Invanfar I A44 fi fl/FZM/D/IGE United States Patent DECK LID LIFTING MECHANISM Alan D. Brundage, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to Hondarlle-Hershey Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporatron of Michigan Application December 4, 1953, Serial N 0. 396,187

7 Claims. (Cl. 268-74) This invention relates to a deck lid lifting mechanism for the rear deck of an automotive vehicle, and more particularly relates to such a mechanism operated by the power of an electric motor and automatically idling the motor at the extreme positions of the deck lid.

A principal object of my invention is to provide a deck lid lifting mechanism, for opening and closing a deck lid of an automotive vehicle by power, in which the usual limit switches and safety clutches are rendered unnecessary to effect the stopping of the deck lid at its extreme positions of travel.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel and improved form of deck lid lifting mechanism constructed with a view towardutmost simplicity and compactness.

A. further object of my invention is to provide a deck lid lifting mechanism operated by the power of a motor and arranged to automatically stop at its extreme positions of opening and closing while the motor continues to operate.

A further and more detailed object of my invention is to provide a deck lid lifting mechanism utilizing a screw telescoping within a sleeve to lift the deck lid, in which a simplified form of nut construction between the sleeve and screw is utilized, stopping extensible or retractable movement of the sleeve at its extreme positions of movement along the screw, but accommodating the motor to continue to rotatably drive the screw at these extreme positions.

These and other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings where- Figure l is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken along the rear deck of an automotive vehicle and showing a deck lid lifting mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention connected to raise and lower the rear deck lid by power;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken through the rear deck with certain parts broken away and looking toward thedeck lifting mechanism from the. rear end thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line IlIIII of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken through the sleeve and nut in order to illustratecertain details'of construction thereof, and the limiting means for limiting extensible movement of the sleeve at the extreme ends of its path of travel while the nut continues to rotate; and

Figure 5 is a-horizontal sectional view illustrating the emergency drive mechanism, accommodating manual operation ofthe lifting screws when required.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, reference character indicates generally a deck floor of a rear deck of an automotive vehicle. Reference character 11 indicates generally the body construction ex tending along the deck floor and across the rear'end thereof while reference character 12 indicates generally an opening in the body portion 11 closed by a deck lid 15.

The deck lid 15 is shown as being connected with the body portion 12 for upward lifting movement with respect thereto by means of spaced extensible hinge links 16, 16 accommodating vertical pivoting and upward lifting movement of the entire deck lid 15 above the opening 12 to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1. Each extensible hinge link 16, as herein shown, includes a link 17 pivoted to the body 11 on a pivot pin 18 and having a link 19 pivotally connected to its free end on a pivot pin 20. The link 19in turn is connected to an ear 21 depending from the deck lid on a pivot pin 22. Spaced rearwardly from the link 19 is a control link 23 connected to the rear end portion of the ear 21 on a pivot pin 24, and connected to the body portion 11 by means of a link 25 pivotally connected to the link 23 at the lower end of said link, and extending rearwardly therefrom when the hinge is in a closed position, and having pivotal connection with the body portion 11 by means of pivot pin 26. The extensible hinges 16, 16 may be at each side of the body 11 and may have connection with the deck lid adjacent each side thereof, to guide the lid in a controlled path during opening and closing movement thereof, and accommodate the rear end portion of the lid to lift entirely above the body portion 11, when the deck is in the fully opened position shown by dotted lines in Figure l.

The power operated means for lifting the deck lid and holding it in a lifted position, and lowering the lid to close the opening 12 is shown as comprising a pair of spaced extensible actuating members 30, 30 located adjacent each side of the deck and carried by the deck floor 10 and having pivotal connection with the deck lid at the upper ends thereof. As herein shown, the gear housings for the drive mechanisms for driving the extensible actuating mechanisms 30, 30 are recessed beneath the deck floor 10 and are carried in laterally spaced casings or wells 31, 31 secured to and depending from the deck floor.

The extensible actuating mechanisms 30, 30 are each of a similar construction so one only need herein be shown or described in detail.

As herein shown, a worm and worm gear housing 32 is carried within each well 31. The worm and worm gear housing 32 is shown in Figure 3 as having a cap or cover 33 closing the bottom thereof and having a lug 34 depending therefrom through the bottom of the well 31. A nut 35 is shown as being threaded on the lug 34 for retaining the housing 32 to the well 31. A plurality of spacer washers 36 are also shown as encircling the lug 34 and as being interposed between the bottom of the cap 33 and the top surface of the bottom of the well 31 to properly space the gear housing with respect to the deck 10 The gear housing 32 is shown as having a worm 37 journaled therein on spaced bearings 39, 39. The worm 37 is shown as having a coupling socket 40 secured thereto and opening to receive a coupling member 41 on a shaft 42, which may be a flexible shaft.

The worm 37 is shown'as meshing with and driving a worm gear 43, keyed or otherwise secured to a vertical shaft 44 journaled in the worm gear housing 32 on an anti-friction bearing 45. The shaft 44 is shown as extending upwardly from the housing 32 and as having a bifurcated upper end portion 46, forming the driving member of a universal coupling 47.

The universal coupling 47 may be of any well known form and is herein shown as having driving connection with an upright threaded shaft 49 for rotatably driving the same when said threaded shaft is in various angular positions with respect to the vertical shaft 44, in a The threads of the threaded shaft 49 are shown as being in the form of a helical groove 50' of an arcuate form to receive a plurality of balls 51, 51 carried in a retainer or cage 53.

Extending along the threaded shaft 49 and carried thereby for extensible movement with respect thereto is an actuating tube 55, guided for movement along the shaft 49 on a guide 56 on the upper end of said shaft. The sleeve or tube 55 is shown as having a bifurcated upper end portion 57 pivotally connected to a bracket 59 as by a transverse pivot pin 60. The bracket 59 is shown as extending downwardly along opposite sides of the bifurcated end portion of the tube 59 and as extending upwardly within the deck lid, and recessing the bifurcated end portion of the tube 55 within the deck lid, and suitably secured thereto at its ends.

At the lower end of the tube 55' is an elongated sleeve or nut' 63. The nut 63 is suitably secured to the sleeve 55 and encircles the retainer cage 53 for movement along the threaded shaft 49 upon rotation of said shaft. The nut 63 is shown as having a plurality of spaced concentric annular grooves 64 therein rotatably receiving the balls 51, 51 carried by the retainer sleeve or cage 53. The nut 63, the annular groove 64 and the balls 51, 51 carried by the retainer cage 53 thus form threads having rolling engagement with the helical groove 50 effect movement of the nut 63 along the threaded shaft 49 upon rotation of said shaft.

The retainer cage 53 has a plurality of apertures 6565 therein for the balls 51, 51. The apertures 65, 65 are spaced along the cage 53 and are offset with respect to each other to correspond to the thread lead of the helical thread 50 of the shaft 49. The annular grooves 64 and the helical groove 50 thus provide an inclined plane on which the balls 51 carried in the apertu'r'es 65 of the cage 53 roll to impart a positive drive with the mechanical advantage of a conventional screw, it being understood that the angle or pitch of the helical groove 50 is less than the angle of friction between the balls and the groove to provide a screw and nut arrangement, which will be self-locking whenever rotation of the shaft 49 ceases. The cage 53 has a stop notch or lug 66 at its lower end, which is engageable with a stop pin 67 projecting from the shaft 49 within one of the threads thereof. The stop pin 67 serves to effect rotation of the cage 53 with the shaft 49 at the lower extreme end of travel of the nut 63 along said shaft. This will cause the balls 51, 51 to travel around the annular concentric groove 64, 64 and stop rectilinear movement of the tube 55 along the shaft 49, but accommodate said shaft to continue to rotate with the nut 63 free on said shaft. At the upper end of the retainer cage 53 is a notch 69 engageable with a stop pin 70 at the upper end of the shaft 49 for holding the retainer cage 53 for rotation with the shaft 49 at the upper end of travel of the tube 55 along said shaft. The pin 70 thus serves to stop travel of the tube 55 along the shaft 49 when the deck lid is in the full open position as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, without attention from the operator.

It should here be understood that the stop pins 67 or 70 when engaging the respective notches 66 or 69 rotate the cage with the shaft 49 and cause the balls 51, 51 to travel in the annular concentric grooves 64, 64 when the shaft 49 is rotating in one direction. As soon as the direction of rotation of the shaft 49 is reversed, the notches 66 or 69 will move away from their respective stop pins 67 or 70 and the deck lid will be raised or lowered in accordance with the end of the shaft 49 at which the nut 63 is positioned.

Referring now to the drive means for the worms 37, 37 and the threaded shafts 49, 49, a motor 71 is shown in Figure 2 as being mounted beneath the deck floor on bracket members 73,v 73 secured to and depending from the deck floor and secured to opposite ends of the motor shell, as by machine screws 75, 75.

The motor 71 may be a well known form of reversible electric motor and is shown as driving flexible driveshafts 76 and 77 from opposite ends thereof. The flexible shaft 76 is shown as being cased in a sheath and as driving an actuating mechanism 30, which in Figure 2 is shown as being the left-hand actuating mechanism. The drive from the flexible shaft 76 to the associated Worm 37 is similar to the drive from the shaft 42 to the righthand worm 37 shown in Figure 5, and is of a well known form, so need not herein be shown or described further.

The flexible drive shaft 77 is shown as being enclosed in a sheath 78. The shaft 77 has drive connection with a coupling 81 on a transverse shaft 82 journaled in a housing 83. The transverse shaft 82 in turn has a coupling 85 at its opposite end having drive connection of the shaft 42 to effect the drive to the right-hand shaft 44 and threaded shaft 49 driven thereby.

The housing 83 is shown as being in three parts including end sleeve parts 86 and 88 forming bearing supports for the shaft 82, a central gear housing part 89 having a sleeve part 90 extending therefrom at right angles with respect to the sleeve parts 86 and 88 and having a shaft 91 journaled therein; A bevel pinion 93 is shown as being enclosed in the gear housing part 89 and as being pinned or otherwise secured to the transverse shaft 82, for driving said shaft. A bevel pinion 94 is shown as meshing with the bevel pinion 93 and as being pinned or otherwise secured to the inner end of the shaft 91. The shaft 91 is shown as having a coupling 95 on its outer end. The coupling member 95 is shown as being in the form of a socket like the coupling 85. The drive end 97 of the flexible shaft 99 is shown as having'an enlarged collar portion 100 slidably guided in a sleeve 101 extending from the sleeve portion 90 to guide the drive end 97 of the flexible shaft 99 for movement into engagement with the coupling socket 95 when it is desired or required to operate the shaft 82 manually and lift or lower the deck by hand. The flexible shaft 99 is shown as being encased in a sheath 102 extending from the sleeve 101 and connected with a casing member 104, which may be mounted beneath the floor of the deck and which may open in a convenient location at the rear or side of the car body.

The casing member 104 is shown as being mounted in a bracket 106 and as having a sleeve 107 threaded on the outside thereof and extending therefrom. The casing member 104 also has a sleeve 110 threaded therein and extending therefrom within and concentric with the sleeve 107, and having a drive member 111 slidably movable therealong on balls 112, 112 engaging the inside of the sleeve 110. The sleeve 107 has an open end 109 affording access to the drive member 111. The drive memher 111' is shown as being retained to the flexible shaft 99 by a retainer 113 threaded on the sleeve 112. The drive member 111 is in turn shown as being secured to the flexible shaft 99 as by a pin 115. The drive mernher 111 and shaft 99 are biased outwardly along the sleeve 110 by a compression spring 116 mounted within the sleeve 110. The compression spring 116 thus serves to disengage the drive member 97 from the socket 95 and accommodate free rotation of the shaft 92 by the motor 71. The outer end of the drive member 111 is shown as being reduced and may be squared to receive a wrench or hand-crank or the like (not shown) to turn the flexible shaft 99 by hand. It is, of course, understood that when it is desired to turn the shaft 91 and the shaft 82 and drive the two shafts 44 by hand, that the drive member 111 must be depressed within the sleeve 110 toengage the drive member 97 with the socket of the coupling 95. As soon, however, as pressure is released from the drive member 111, the hand drive to the shafts 44, 44 is disconnected.

The extensible tubes or sleeves 55, 55 are each shown as being encased in a boot 119 having a reduced end portion 120 fitting about the upper end of the sleeve 55.

and,

The boot 119 is shown as being spaced from the sleeve or tube 55 and as extending downwardly therealong for the length thereof, and as having a bifurcated lower end portion 121, the fnrcations ofwhich are pivoted to a ring 122 on pivot pins 123, 123. The ring 122 is in turn pivoted to a stationary member 124 on pivot pins 125, 125, coaxial with the transverse pivot of the universal coupling.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected in this invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a rear deck construction for automotive vehicles having a deck floor and a swingable deck lid, means for pivotally connecting the lid to the body of the vehicle, the improvement comprising power means for opening and closing the lid including a reversible motor, reduction gearing rotatably driven by said motor and carried beneath the deck floor, an upright threaded shaft, a universal drive connection from said reduction gearing to said shaft, a tube guided for movement along said shaft and having pivotal connection with the deck lid, a nut on said tube encircling said shaft and having an internal annular groove having a ball engageable therewith and with the threads of said shaft, a cage interposed between said nut and shaft and retaining said ball in position, and stop means at opposite ends of said shaft for rotating said cage with said shaft to stop travel of said nut therealong as said shaft continues to rotate.

2. In a rear deck construction for automotive vehicles having a deck floor and a swingable deck lid, means for swingably connecting the deck lid to the body of the vehicle and means for opening and closing the same, comprising a reversible motor supported beneath the deck floor, reduction gearing at opposite sides of the deck floor, and recessed therebeneath, means for driving said reduction gearing from opposite ends of said motor, two

laterally spaced vertically extending shafts, universal drive connections from said reduction gearing to said shafts, actuating tubes encircling said shafts and movable therealong, nuts on said tubes and encircling said threaded shafts, each of said nuts having an internal annular groove and having a ball registering therewith and with the threads of said shaft, a retainer cage mounted within each nut and encircling said shaft for retaining the ball to the threads thereof, stopping means at each end of said shafts to hold said retainer cages for rotation with said shafts at the extreme ends of travel of said nuts to stop travel of said nuts along said shafts.

3. In a rear deck construction for automotive vehicles having a deck floor and a swingable deck lid, means for pivotally connecting the lid to the body of the vehicle, the improvement comprising power means for opening and closing the lid including a reversible motor, reduction gearing rotatably driven by said motor, and carried beneath the deck floor, an upright threaded shaft, a universal drive connection from said reduction gearing to said shaft, a tube guided for movement along said shaft and having pivotal connection with the deck lid, a nut on said tube encircling said shaft and having an internal annular groove having a ball engageable therewith and with the threads of said shaft, a cage interposed between said nut and shaft and retaining said ball in position, stop means at opposite ends of said shaft for rotating said cage with said shaft to stop travel of said nut therealong, and manually operable means for rotating said motor and shafts by hand comprising a drive member accessible from the outside of the deck, a drive connection from said drive member to said motor, and spring means biasing said drive member out of driving connection with said motor.

4. In a load releasable power operated deck lift for the rear deck of an automotive vehicle, a vertically swingable deck lid, extensible actuating members for raising and lowering said lid, each including an upright threaded shaft having a tube encircling the same and guided for extensible and retractible movement therealong, a re-' versible motor, geared drive connections to said threaded shafts from opposite ends of said motor and including spaced .upright shafts and universal couplings connecting said upright shafts with said threaded shafts for rotating said threaded shafts by power, releasable drive connections between said threaded shafts and tribes comprising nuts on said tubes, retainer cages within said nuts and encircling said threaded shafts, said nuts having a plurality of concentric annular grooves therein, said retainer cages having balls retained therein for engagement with said grooves and the threads of said shafts, and stop means at opposite ends of said threaded shafts for engaging said retainer cages at the extreme ends of travel thereof and rotating said retainer cages with said threaded shafts and automatically releasing the load from said drive motor at opposite ends of the travel of said sleeves along said threaded shafts.

5. In a load releasable power deck lift for the rear deck of an automotive vehicle, a vertically swingable deck lid, power means for opening and closing the lid including a reversible motor, reduction gearing rotatably driven by said motor, and carried beneath the deck floor, an upright threaded shaft, a universal drive connection from said reduction gearing to said threaded shaft, a non-rotatable tube guided for movement along said threaded shaft and having pivotal connection with the deck lid, a nut on said tube encircling said threaded shaft and having an internal annular groove having a ball engageable therewith and with the threads of said threaded shaft, a cage interposed between said nut and threaded shaft and retaining said ball in position, stop means at opposite ends of said threaded shaft for rotating said cage with said threaded shaft to stop travel of said nut therealong, and manually operable means for rotating said motor and threaded shaft by hand comprising a drive member accessible from the outside of the deck, a drive connection from said drive member to said motor, and spring means biasing said drive member out of driving connection with said motor.

6. In a rear deck construction for automotive vehicles having a deck floor and a swingable deck lid, means for pivotally connecting the lid to the body of the vehicle, the improvement comprising power means for opening and closing the lid including a reversible motor, reduction gearing rotatably driven by said motor, and carried beneath the deck floor, an upright threaded shaft, a universal drive connection from said reduction gearing to said threaded shaft, a tube guided for movement along said threaded shaft and having pivotal connection with the deck lid, a nut on said tube encircling said threaded shaft and having an internal annular groove having a ball engageable therewith and with the threads of said threaded shaft, a cage interposed between said nut and threaded shaft and retaining said ball in position, stop means at opposite ends of said threaded shaft for rotating said cage with said threaded shaft to stop travel of said nut therealong, and manually operable means for rotating said motor to effect manual adjustment of said threaded shaft comprising a releasable coupling member having drive connection with said motor, spring means yieldably biasing said coupling member in a released position, and a drive member accessible from the outside of the deck lid and manually operable to engage said coupling means against the spring bias thereof and rotate said motor and threaded shaft by hand.

7. In a load releasable deck lift for the rear deck of an automotive vehicle, a vertically swingable deck lid, power means for opening and closing the lid including a reversible motor, an upright shaft, reduction gearing rotatably driven by said motor for driving said upright shaft, a threaded shaft, a universal drive connection from said upright shaft to said threaded shaft and having a transverse pivot intersecting the axis of rotation of said threaded shaft, a non-rotatable tube guided for movement along said threaded shaft and having a pivotal connection emaosa with the deck lid at its upper end, a nut on said? tube encircling said threaded shaft andihaving an internal an nulargroove having aball engageable therewith and with the threads of said threaded shaft, a cage interposed between said nutand threaded shaft and retaining said ball in position in said groove, stop means at opposite end of said threaded shaft for effecting rotation of said cage with said threaded shaft. to stop travel of saidnut along said threaded shaft while said motor continues to rotate, and a boot. encircling said threaded shaft sleeve and nut and pivoted for movement about an axis coaxial With the transverse pivot ofv said universal drive connection and having slidable engagement with said tube and forming, a guide therefor in. spaced. relation with. respect to said nut.

References: Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

